Can opener



May 27 1924i 1,495,711

K. MIZUNO ET AL cm OPENER Filed April 18. 1923 Jwuenloz Kern-m suke Mi. 2.1.1110.

Patented May 27, 1924.

IENNOSUKE MIZUNO AND FRANK NAG-AND, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CAN OPENER.

Application filed April 18, 1923.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we. KnNNosUKr. MIZUNO and FRANK NAGANH, subjects of the Emperor of Japan, residing at San Francisco, county of San Francisco, St ate of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can Openers. of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to can openers, and has for its primary object the provision of an easily operated tool which will not slip or become dislodged from the work during the operation.

Another object of 'the invention is to provide a can opener including a gripping device having a sutticient number of gripping parts to avoid slipping. these parts being arranged in a new and novel order not heretofore known.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a can opener. comprising but a small number of parts. one that will be cheap to make. strong and durable, and not likely to get out of order.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following detailed description. taken in connection with the accompanying draw ings, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the can opener.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the can opener with the handles broken away.

Figure 3 is a partial side elevation of the can opener, a can being diagrammatically represented.

In the drawing. where similar characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views. A designates a supporting member: B, a. coacting member pivotally supported thereby: and C, a gripping means rigidly attached to supporting member A.

Referring first to supporting member A, it is preferably formed of metal or some material of strength and carries a convenient hand grip 4 on one of its ends. The opposite end is provided with an opening 5.

The coacting member B is likewise formed of metal and carries a hand grip 6 on one end. Aperture 8 punched in the member near the opposite end registers with opening 5 of member A and a rivet or similar attaching means 7 pivotally connects the members A and B together. A cutting blade adjustably carried by member B intermediate the hand grip 6 and pivotal point 7 comprises a Serial No. 632,908.

loosely mounted collar 9, and a blade 10 ex tending laterally thereof. This cutting blade slides longitudinally upon member B to act upon cans of various sizes.

Concerning at this time the gripping means C. such is preferably made of metal and may be integral with member A or rigid- 1y attached as at 11. An enlarged or widened portion 12 supports a plurality of teeth 13, the center one being longer than the others and tapered from both sides to form an accurate centering guide while the outer teeth taper from but one side to cause a more intimate gripping when the tool is being introduced into the can top (see Figure 2). A notch 14 formed in the widened portion 12 affords a convenient lifting foot for the loosened top after the cutting operation. An important feature of the gripping member construction is the forming of the teeth in a very slight lower plane than that of the member A or the narrowed portion 15. Down wardly projecting tooth 16 disposed back of teeth 13 with its axis at right angles thereto, angles toward the front and has a convex rear surface 17. This shape and position of teeth 16 provides excellent gripping means after introducing the tool into the top of the can to be opened which operation is as follows: The center guide tooth penetrates the top close to the center, remainder of teeth 13 next pierce the metal and when these teeth have travelled through the top as far as possible. the tool is thought down from its axial alignment position with the can to a position substantially at right angles thereto. This action causes tooth 16 and blade 10 to puncture beneath it after which the container is held rigidly by using hand rip 14 and the cutting operation performe by describing a circle about pivotal point 7, whereby the top is slit sutiiciently to allow it to hinge back.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of our invention: but,

We claim:

1. A can opener comprising a. sup orting bar. an operating bar having one an pivotally connected to one end of said supportin bar, a head carried by the last mentioned end of the supporting bar and. extending beyond opposite sides of the sup orting bar, enetrating prongs extending rom said hea longitudinally of said supporting bar with certain of said penetrating prongs extending from the end portions of said head and one of said prongs extending from'the intermediate part of the head in alignment with the supporting her and having a greater length than the prongs extending from the end ortions of said head, and a cutter oarrie by said operating bar.

2. A can opener comprising a supporting bar, an operating bar pivotally connected at one e'nd to one end of said supporting bar, cuttin' means carried by said operating bar, a hen eXtending't-ransversely of said supporting bar at the end pivotally connected with the operating bar and extending'beyond opposite sides of said supporting her, said head being formed separatefrom the supporting bar and having a shank ortion extending longitudinally beneath t e supporting bar, means ri idly securin the head and shank to the un er face of tie supporting bar, and forwardly extending prongs extending from said head longitudinally of the shank with one of said prongs positioned intermediate the width thereof and in alignment with said supporting bar and the other prongs extending from the end portions of the head and of less length then the intermediate pron said prongs being offset to extend in a p ane beneath the plane of said supportin bar when the supporting bar is positione horizontally to permit the shank to rest flat upon the outer face of the can head and the prongs extend beneath the can head to provide penetrating points.

KENNOSUKE MIZUNO. FRANK NAGANO. 

